Rail-joint.



PATENTED DEC. 27, 1904.

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D. C. BASSETT.

RAIL JOINT.

APILIGATION FILED JULY 1s, 190s.

UNTTEn STATES DEWITT O. BASSETT, OF VOONSOOKET, SOUTH DAKOTA.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,625, dated December27, 1904. Application filed July 18, 1903. Serial No. 166,111.

To all 1071/0711, it 771mg/ concern.:

Be it known that I, Dnwrrr C. BAssnTT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Voonsocket, in the county of Sanborn, State of South Dakota,have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Rail-Joints; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to joints for railwayrails; and it has for itsobject to provide a construction embodying' a fish-plate having a treadportion which is fjtted in corresponding recesses formed in the treadsof the abutting ends ofthe rails, the fish-plate being provided withmeans for locking' the nuts of the connecting-bolts and having incombination therewith screw-spikes and means for insuring' rotation ofthe spikes as they are driven into the ties.

In the drawings forming' a portion of this specification, in which likenumerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views,Figure 1 is a perspective view showing' the abutting' end portions oftwo rails secured by means of fish-plates embodying the presentinvention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing' one of the railsremoved and the fishplate held to the other rail. Fig. 3 is a top planview of Fig. 1, the head of one of the spikes being' removed. Fig. 4 isa transverse section of Fig'. 1 in a plane between the abutting ends ofthe rails. Fig. 5 is a transverse section through a iish-plate andshowing in elevation a spike passed through a perforation of theiish-plate.

In the drawings there are shown the end portions of rails lO and 11, thetread of the rails at their abutting ends being cut away at the sameside of the webs thereof, so that the resultant faces 11 are beveled orlie at obtuse angles to the corresponding side faces of the webs of therails, said webs being' shown at 12.

The cutting' away of the sides of the treads of the end portions of therails results in the formation of a recess and in this recess isdisposed the enlargement or tread 13, which is formed at the upper edgeand centrally of the web 15 of a fish-plate including' also the PatentedDecember 27, 1904.

PATENT OEETCE.

flange 16. This fish-plate is disposed with its web portion ag'ainst thewebs 12 of the rails with its flange 16 resting upon the ties, the

rails and breaks joints with the rails, so that the running ofcar-wheels over the joints of the rails is smooth and hammering' isprevented. The inner face 17 of the tread enlargement 13 is beveled, soas to lie snugly against the faces 11 of the rails, so that any mashingof this portion 13 that occurs serves to increase the intimacy ofcontact between the adjacent side faces of the treads of the rails andfish-plates.

A second fish-plate 19 is provided and is fitted with its web portionagainst the web of the rails between the treads and flanges thereof inthe same manner as the first-named fishplate, with the exception that ithas no tread portion. The flanges 16 and 20 of the fishplates extendover and beyond the flanges of the rails and are recessed in their underfaces to receive the ang'es of the rails, so that thelaterally-projecting portions of the iianges of the {ish-,plates areiush with those of the rails, and they rest fiat upon the tiestherewith. 4

Through the rails are formed the usual transverse perforations 21, whichare brought into alinement with corresponding transverse perforations 22in the fish-plate to receive clamping-bolts 23, which hold the partstogether. The perforations in the fish-plates are elongatedlongitudinally of the fish-plates to permit of slip of the bolts thereinto compensate for contraction and expansion of the rails, and theperforations of the first-named fishplate are countersunken, as shown at23, to receive the washers. The web l5 is recessed in the outer faces ofthe end portions thereof, and in these recesses are slidably fittedU-shaped plates 25, which straddle the nuts 26 on the bolts and byembracing them closely prevent their rotation and consequentdisengagement.

Through the anges of the fish-plates are formed perforations 26, having'lateral narrowed extensions 27. Spikes 28 are provided IOO of adiaineter to iit the perforation and having a helical flange 27 disposedto engage the portion 2T, so that as the spikes are driven into the tiesthey are rotated forcibly and are screwed into the ties. 'ly thusscrewing the spikes into the ties they are held securely againstwithdrawal under the influence of the usual strain on the spikes.

The upper and lower walls of the recesses in which the locking-platesare received are beveled inwardly and the upper and lower edges of thelocl ing-plates are correspondingly beveled, so thatlateral displacementof the locking-plates is prevented.

What is claimed is* The combination with two abutting elements havingalining recesses forming a longitudinal depression at the joint thereof,of a plate having a projection engaged in said depression to hold theplate against longitudinal neovement with respect to said abuttingelements, the plate having longitudinally-disposed recesses 'formedtherein and extending Vfrom opposite ends and terminating adjacent tothe ends of the projection, bolts piercing the abutting elements and theplate, nuts upon the bolts disposed within the recesses of the plate,and a bifureated locking-bar Fitted within each recess with its prongsengaged upon opposite sides of the nuts and the corresponding oppositeedges otl the recesses, whereby the nuts are locked, the said bars arefrietionally sustained against displacement and the plate held againstlongitudinal movement.

In testimony whereotI l aix my signature in presence ot' two witnesses.

DEW'lT' C. BASSETT. Vitnesses:

J. B. CAMERON, R. P. BURTON.

